Sermons on Psalm 119

Doct. It concerneth those that would walk with God, to have their Eyes turned away from worldly things. I shall give you the meaning in these Propositions.

1. He that would be quickened, carried out with Life and Vigour in the ways of God, must first be Mortified, die unto Sin. The Apostle there speaks of the fruit of Christ's death; being dead unto Sin before he can live to God, 1. Peter 2. 24. David first maketh it his Request, Turn away mine Eyes, then Quicken. Many would fain live with Christ, but first they must learn to die unto Sin. 'It is impossible for Sin and Grace to live in the same Subject.

2. One great means of Mortification is guarding the Senses; Eyes and Ears, and Taste, and Touch, that they may not betray the Heart. I put it so general because the man of God that is so solicitous about his Eyes, would not be careless of his Ears and other Senses. We must watch on all sides; when an assault is made on all sides, if one Gate open it is as good as all were. The Senses are the Cinque-Ports by which Sin is let out and taken in: The Ingress and Egress of Sin is by the Senses, and much of our danger lieth there, partly because there are so many Objects that suit with our Distempers, that do by them insinuate themselves into the Soul, and therefore things long since seemingly dead will soon revive again, and recover Life and strength. There is no means to keep the Heart unless we keep the Eye; and Partly because in every Creature Satan hath laid a Snare for us, to steal away our hearts and affections from God: Partly because the senses are so ready to receive these objects from without to wound the heart, for they are as the Heart is; if the heart be Poisoned with Sin and become a Servant to it, so are the Senses of our Bodies weapons of unrighteousness, Rom. 6. 13. Objects have an impression upon them answerable to the Temper and the affections of the Soul, and what it desireth they pitch upon, and therefore if we let the Senses wander, the Heart will take fire presently; and if 〈◊〉 do not stop evil at the beginning, but let it alone to take Head; we cannot stop it w •… n we would, nor repress the Motions of it from flying abroad.

3. Above all Senses the Eye must be guarded. (1.) Because it is the noblest Sense given us for high uses. There is not only a natural use to inform us of things profitable, and hurtful for the outward man, but a spiritual use to set before us those objects that may stir us and raise our minds to Heavenly thoughts and Meditations. For by beholding the perfection of the Creatures, we may admire the more eminent perfection of him that made them. Psal. 19. 1. The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the Firmament showeth his handy Work. Psal. 8 3. And when I consider thy Heavens, the work of thy Fin •… s, The Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained. David when he walked abroad in a Moon shining night, he admires the glory of the Moon and Stars; the Moon and Stars are mentioned because it was a night meditation, his Heart was set a work by his Eyes. Rom. 1. 20. 20. For the invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his Eternal power and God-Head, &c. The perfection of the Creatures are to draw us to God, and their Imperfections and defects to drive us from themselves. The Eye as ti's used will either be a help or a Snare, either it will let in the sparks of Temptation, or inkindle the fire of true Devotion. These are the Windows which God hath placed in the top of the Building, that man from thence may Contemplate God's works, and take a Prospect of Heaven, the place of our eternal residence. Os homini Sublime dedit; God made man with an erect Countenance, not groveling on the Earth, but looking up to Heaven, and viewing the glorious Mansions above.

2. Because they have a great influence upon the Heart, either as to good or evil, but chiefly to Evil. In this corrupt state of man, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 By looking we come to liking, and are brought inordinately to affect what we do behold. Numb. 15. 39. That ye seek not after your own heart, and your own Eyes, after which ye use to go a Whoring. Job 31. 7. If my step hath turned out of the way, and my Heart walked after mine Eyes. These are the Spies of the Heart, Brokers to bring it and the Temptation together; the Eye seeth and then by gazing the Heart lusteth, and the Body acteth the transgression. 'It is more dangerous to see Evil than to hear it, the impression is greater; the relation of anything doth not affect us so much as the Sight of it. Those that hear of the fury of wars, and fireing of Houses; Ravishing of Virgins; Killing and wounding of men, and the like, cannot have so deep a sense of those things as they that see it. The sight of Heaven works more than the report of it, as in Paul, when he had a sight of these things was in an Extasi. The Look doth immediately work on the heart. Well then, it is dangerous to fix the Eye on enticing Objects; for it exciteth more than hearsay.

3. The eye must be looked to, because it hath been the Window by which Satan hath crept in, and all manner of Poison conveyed to the Soul. I shall prove it, 1. Doctrinally. 2. Historically, 1. I shall give you Doctrinal assertions; The eye hath been the in-let of all Sin: as uncleanness, 2 Pet. 14. Having eyes full of Adultery, and that cannot cease from Sin: beguiling unstable Souls, &c. In the Original 'tis Eyes full of the Adulteress, and the Eye enkindles impure flames in the Heart. Prov. 6. 25. Lust not after her Beauty in thy heart, neither let her take thee with her Eye-lids: Gazing on the beauty of Women inkindleth foul flames within the Breast, and we feel strange transports of Soul when we give way to it. The evil heart is in its Element when tis thus. Then covetousness gets into the heart by the eye; 1 John. 2. 15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, if any man love the World, the love of the Father is not in him; And therefore the Apostle when he maketh a Division of Sin, he saith for all that is in the World, the lust of the Flesh, the lust of the Eyes, and the Pride of Life is not of the Father, but is of the World. Because the mind is so secretly enchanted with the Love of those things it beholds, and are represented to it by the external Senses; And Eccle. 4. 8. There is no end of all his Labor, neither is his Eye satisfied with Riches; that insatiable thirst is enkindled in the Soul by beholding the Splendour of outward things, it is born and bred, and fed by it, and the Heart is secretly enchanted with a love to it, and therefore we must have more of it. Again, Drunkenness, Prov. 23. 31. Look not thou upon the Wine when it is Red, when it giveth its Colour in the Cup, when it moveth itself aright. That is so as to entice the Heart to crave more and more till it cometh to excess. So Envy, Math. 20. 15. Is thine Eye Evil, because mine is good? The more they see and wishly behold the flourishing of others, the more is their Evil disposition nourished. (2.) Historical instances: Let me begin with the first Transgression. 'It is said Gen. 3. 6. And when the Woman saw that the Tree was good for Food, and that it was pleasant to the Eyes, and a Tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, &c. She was first corrupted in her Sense; Gazing on the fruit with delight that was the first Sin, before Eating. The Devil tempted Christ, when he sought to corrupt the second Adam. Math. 4. 8. He taketh him up into an exceeding high Mountain, and showeth him all the Kingdoms of the World, and the Glory of them. He knew the best way to work was by Sight, and though he could not prevail against Christ, he took that way that was most accommodate to his purpose, and afterward what an account have we in Scripture how many were wounded by their Eyes? The Devil knoweth that is the next way to work upon the Heart? So Potiphors wife, Gen. 39. 7. And it came to pass after these things, that his Masters wife cast her Eyes upon Joseph, and she said, Lye with me. There the mischief began, she pleased herself with looking on the Hebrew servant. So Achan, Joshua 7. 21. When I saw among the Spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of Silver, and a wedge of Gold of fifty shekels Weight: Then I coveted them and took them, &c. First saw, then coveted, then took, and then hid, and then Israel falls before the Philistines, and he is attached by loss and brought to Judgment. So Shechem and Dinah, Gen. 34. 2. And when Shechem the Son of Hamor, the Hivite Prince of the Country saw her, he took her and lay with her, and defiled her. Seeing always cometh between the Sense and the Heart. So of Sampson, Judges 16. 1. Samson went to Gaza, and saw there an Harlot, and went in unto her. So David was ensnared by looking on Bathsheba, 1 Sam. 2. 11. 2. And it came to pass in an evening Tide, that David arose from off his Bed, and walked upon the roof of the Kings House, and from the roof he saw a Woman washing herself; and the Woman was very beautiful to look upon. That fired his heart, and brought such mischiefs upon him. Naboth 's Vineyard was hard by Ahab's Palace, 1 King. 21. 1. 'Twas ever in his Eye, and therefore he is troubled and falls sick for it. So how many may thus complain that their Souls have been by their Eyes betrayed. As Jacob's sheep by looking on the Rods brought forth young ones coloured by the Rods, so our Actions receive that from the Objects, we take in by the Senses.

Use is to reprove those that are so careless of their Senses. When they are left at random, they soon prove the ruin of the Soul. Solomon giveth us the reason of his folly and warping from God, Eccle. 4. 10. Whatsoever mine Eye desired, I kept not from them. I kept not mine Eyes from any Toy; those men lie under the power of Sin that let the boat run with the Stream, and never use any restraint, they are wafted down apace into the gulf of Destruction. Those open the gates to the enemy, and give them free Entertainment. A man that is careless of his Senses is like a City without Walls, that lies open to all Comers. The heart is a thorough-Fare for Sin and Temptations, but because most men yea good men have and may miscarry this way, whereby great mischiefs may come upon them, let me produce some Considerations that they may see their folly that let their Hearts run at Random.

1. Foul sinners are awakened, which we thought long since laid a sleep, when we let the object strike too freely upon the Soul. Who would have thought that David's heart should have been fired by a look? 'It is dangerous to dally with Temptations, and to think no great harm will come of it, stones running down hill are not easily stopped, so here when we yield a little to Satan's temptations, he carries us away by force, we cannot stop when we please.

2. Evil thoughts will be begotten in us, and they make us Culpable before God, though they break not out into sinful acts. Looking causeth Lusting, and that is Adultery before God, Mat, 5. 28. But I say unto you, whosoever looketh upon a Woman to lust after her, hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart. Christ came to restore the Law to its Spiritual sense, the Pharisees did not think the Law broken but by outward gross acts, and actual defilement, but Christ showeth that a wanton look is Adultery, an Envious look murders the heart, consenteth to sin though the Body acts it not.

3. By leaving the senses without a guard, evil dispositions are impressed upon us secretly, though we are not aware of any sensible disorder for the present, the heart groweth vain and carnal by letting loose the eye to vanity. Job doth not only take notice of his eyes when they did stir up carnal thoughts for the present, Job 31. 7. but saith, if my eyes have walked after my heart, and if my steps have turned out of the way, he speaks twice of the disorders of his eyes; the heart may be corrupted by the eye, and therefore it concerns you to set a guard upon the Senses, Prov. 4 25. Let thine eye-lids look on, and thine eye straight before thee. Let us mind our business, which is to go to Heaven, whereas by gazing and wandering the heart comes to be enchanted with earthly things.

4. By wandering and letting loose the eye, the heart is distracted in Duty. Distraction in Duty 'tis a great and usual evil, and one cause of it is the curiosity of the Senses; how often do we mingle Sulphur with our Incense, and come to worship God having our hearts to the ends of the Earth? men let loose their eyes, and then away goes their hearts, and therefore as Solomon saith, Take heed to thy foot when thou enterest into the house of God, Eccles. 5. Many come hither merely to see and to be seen, and to display their vanity by their vain attire. How many are there that let loose their eyes to vanity when they should give up their ears to the Counsel of God? Some dress up themselves in such vain attire and undecent Fashions to draw the eyes of others to gaze upon them, this is a great affront to God's worship. Solomon saith Prov. 17. 24. The Fools eyes are to the ends of the Earth; One cause of Distraction is the curiosity of the senses, our eyes run to and fro, and then our hearts wander and rove from the business we are about; 'tis a strange constancy and fixedness that is spoken of the Priests at Jerusalem, that when Faustus, Cornelius, and Furius, and Fabius, broke into the City with their Troops, and rushed into the Temple ready to kill them, yet they went on with the Rites of the Temple, as if there had been no such thing. And strange is that other instance of the Spartan Youth, that held the Censer to Alexander, while he Offered Sacrifice, a coal lighting upon his arm, he suffered it to burn there rather than by any crying out of his would disturb that Worship: these Instances are a shame to Christians that we do no more fix our hearts when we are in the Service of God.

Use 2. The Second Use is to press us to this piece of Mortification, even to turn away your eyes from beholding Vanity. To help you in it you must,

1. Take Job's course, Job 31. 1. I made a Covenant with my eyes. Job and his eyes were in Covenant, there was a Covenant between heart and eyes; eyes be you Faithful to my Soul, that there be nothing that may stir up Carnal and Impure thoughts, that there be no unclean objects that may fire my heart. Oh the fool-hardiness of this age! Some will smile at this kind of Discipline, to be so strict and precise: Why! is Sin grown less dangerous, or is Mans nature more wise and strong, or are we better fortified against Temptations? are our hearts in a better posture than the Servants of God of old? Surely no, and therefore set a watch upon your eyes that sin break not in upon your heart.

2. Gonsider the Vanity of the things we dote upon and take in by the eyes. So saith David, Turn away mine eyes from heholding Vanity, they are poor vain perishing things, yet they suit too well with our Senses. And consider what Solomon saith of these things, Wilt thou set thine heart upon that which is not? We inflame our hearts with these things, and Lust putteth a lovely face upon the object, that suiteth with it, but alas what are they, whatever they seem to the beholder? 'tis but Vanity, Psal. 39. 6. Man flattereth himself in a vain show: All the Splendor and Beauty of it is but Vain, 1 Cor. 7. 31. The Fashion of this World passeth away, 'tis but an empty thing, flying bubbles; though the World is of some use to us in our Pilgrimage, yet poor things they are, as that for them we should neglect our duty to God, and grow less lively therein, or have our hearts withdrawn from God. 'It is the Temptation that maketh them seem comely. When these alluring Vanities are before our eyes, Lust puts a gloss upon them, but consider what they are indeed, and in comparison of those things from which they tempt you, namely, Heaven and Eternal Blessedness.

3. Consider the Cursed issue of these things, of letting loose thy eye and heart to vanity. When you please the eye you wound the heart, and make you unfit for your great Account, Eccles. 11. 9. Rejoice O young man in thy Youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy Youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes, yet know that for all these things God will bring thee to Judgment. Go drench and steep thy Soul in carnal delights; When thy wandering and wanton eye doth influence the Lusts of thy heart, and they begin to boil up, when thou hast not denied thyself anything thy heart can wish, and thine eye look upon, put in a little cool water to stop the boiling and raging of thy Lust, remember that God will bring thee to Judgment; though thou dost now smother thy Convictions, and drown thy Reason in these sensual delights, yet God will call thee to an account for all thy time, and parts, and strength, and wit, and talents entrusted with thee.

4. Pray as David doth here, Turn away mine eyes, he calleth upon God for the assistance of his Grace, and Psal. 141. 3. Set a watch upon the door of my lips. He that bendeth and inclineth the heart by his Grace, to look after better things, must also bridle the senses: 'tis Lust sets the eye awork, and causeth a deep complacency and delight in carnal things, and that is cured only by God's grace, Mark 10. 27. therefore go and beg this mercy of him.

5. Constant watchfulness, alas! we cannot open our eyes but we meet with a temptation, a door open for Satan to enter by, and therefore we had need diligently and constantly to watch, especially when Lusts are like to be stirred: Lots Wife might not look towards Sodom, but Abraham was bidden to look upon it: It was no temptation to him, but it was to her, she had her heart hankering after it, Gen. 19. 17. compared with verse 28. When we are in danger of a Temptation, we should keep a severe and strict hand upon the Senses, that they may not dwell unnecessarily upon alluring objects.

6. We have renounced the Pomps and Vanities of the World in Baptism, and shall our eyes and hearts run after them: this is implied in our Baptism, for Baptism is called the answer of a good Conscience towards God, 1 Pet. 3. 21. 'It is an answer to God's demand in the Covenant. God puts us to the Question whether we will renounce the World, and the Vanities and Pleasures thereof. Now when we have renounced these things, shall our eyes and our hearts run after them? Shall we turn the Senses against God who gave us the use of them? Yea, against our Souls. To shame you that have been no more Faithful to your Baptismal Vow, consider what Heathens have done. Basil relateth of Alexander, a young man, in the heat of Blood and in the flower of his age, refused to see Darius 's Daughter. 'It is a shame saith he for him that hath conquered so many men to be conquered by a Woman. 'It is said of some Heathen that he put out his eyes that they might not be a snare to him. We have Grace that we may not use such Violence to our Nature, but certainly the eyes of our Lusts should be put out; you see our Baptism engageth us. If Heathens, those that never came under such an engagement to God, if they by the light of Nature saw that the guarding of the Senses was an help to the Soul, it concerns us much more to renounce the Pomps and Vanities of the World.

Secondly, We come to the Request, quicken thou me in thy way. By quickening is meant the actuation of the Spiritual Life, he beggeth Grace to perform his Duty to God, with cheerfulness, liveliness, and zeal.

Doct. Quickening is very necessary for them that would walk in God's ways.

I shall not consider it here as a Prayer to God, or as 'tis a blessing to be asked of God, but as 'tis necessary to obedience, and here I shall inquire,

• 1. What Quickening is,
• 2. Shew the necessity of it.

1. What Quickening is; 'tis put for two things, 1. 'It is put for Regeneration or the Infusion of Grace. 2. For the renewing the vigor of the life of Grace, the renewed Influence of God whereby this Grace is stirred up in our hearts. First, for Regeneration or the Infusion of Grace, Ephes. 2. 1, 2. When we were dead in Trespasses and Sins, yet now hath he quickened us, then we are quickened or made alive to God when we are new born, when there is an habitual Principle of Grace put into our hearts. Secondly, Quickening is put for the renewed excitation of Grace, when the life that we have received is carried on to some further increase, and so 'tis twofold, either by way of Comfort in our Afflictions, or enlivening in a way of Holiness.

1. Comfort in afflictions, and so 'tis opposed to fainting, which is occasioned by too deep a sense of present troubles, and distrust of God and the supplies of his Grace; when the affliction is heavy upon us, we are like Birds dead in the nest, and are so overcome that we have no Spirit nor Courage in the service of God. Psal. 119. 50. This is my Comfort in affliction, for thy word hath quickened me: Then we are said to be quickened, when he raiseth up our hearts above the trouble, by refining our suffering Graces, as Faith, Hope, and Patience; Thus he is said to revive the Contrite one, Isa. •… 7. 15. To restore comfort to us, and to refresh us with the Sense of his Love.

2. There is a quickening in Duty, which is opposed to deadness of Spirit which is apt to creep upon us, that is occasioned by Negligence and slothfulness in the business of the spiritual Life. Now to quicken us God exciteth his grace in us; An Instrument though never so well in tune, soon grows out of Order; A Key seldom turned rusts in the Lock, so Graces that are not kept a work, lose their Exercise, and grow Luke-warm, or else 'tis occasioned by carnal Liberty, or intermeddling with worldly things. These bring a Brawn and deadness upon the Heart, and the Soul is depressed by the cares of this World. Luk. 21. 34. Now when you are under this Temper of soul desire the Lord to Quicken you by new influences of Grace.

2. Let me show the necessity of this quickening how needful 'tis.

1. 'It is needful, for without it our general standing is questionable, whether we belong to God or no, 1 Pet. 2. 5. Ye are living stones built up into a spiritual House, tis not enough to be a stone in Christ's building, but we must be living Stones; not only members of his body, but living members: I cannot say such a one hath no grace, but when they have it not it renders their Condition very questionable, a man may be living when he is not lively.

2. Without it we cannot perform our Duties aright, Religion to a dead heart is a very irksome thing: When we are dead-hearted we do our Duties as if we did them not in our general course of obedience, we must go to God, Psal. 119. 88. Quicken me after thy loving Kindness, so shall I keep the Testimonies of thy Mouth. Then we do good to good purpose indeed, tis not enough for us to pray, but we must pray with life and Vigour, Psal. 80. 18. Quicken me, and I will call upon thy Name, so we should hear with Life, not in a dull Careless Fashion, Math. 13. 15.

3. All the Graces that are planted in us, tend to beget quickening: as Faith, Hope, and Love, these are the Graces that set us a work, and make us lively in the Exercise of the spiritual Life. Faith that works by Love, Gall. 5. 6. It sets the Soul a work by apprehending the sense of God's love, whereas otherwise tis but a dead Faith. 1 I am. 2. 16. Then for love, what is the Influence of that, it constrains the Soul, it takes the soul along with it, 2 Cor. 5. 14. and Rom. 12. 1. And then hope 'tis called a lively Hope, 1 Pet. 1. 3. all Grace is put into us, to make us Lively, not only the Grace of Sanctification, but the Grace of Justification is bestowed upon us for this end, that we may be cheerful in God's service. Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ purge our Consciences from dead works, that we may serve the living God? Sin and guilt make us dead and heavy hearted, but now the blood of Christ is sprinkled upon the Conscience, and the sentence of Death taken away, then we are made cheerful to serve the living God. Attributes are suited to the case in hand, he is called the living God; because he must be served in a living manner.

4. All the Ordinances which God hath appointed are to get and increase this Liveliness in us. Wherefore hath God appointed the Word? Isa. 55. 3. Hear and your Souls shall live, tis to promote the Life of Grace, and that we may have new Incouragment to go on in the ways of God. Moses when he received the Law, is said to receive the lively Oracles of God, Acts 7. 38. 10. So the doctrine of Christ, they are all Spirit and Life, and serve to beget Life in us. As the redemption of the world by Christ, the joys of Heaven, the torments of Hell, they are all quickening truths, and propounded to us, to keep us in Life and Vigour. The Lord's supper why was that appointed? There, we come to taste the flesh of Christ, who was given for the Life of the world. John 6. That we might sensibly exercise our Faith upon Christ, that we might be more sensible of our Obligations to him, that we might be the more excited in the diligent pursuit of things to come.

Use 1. Is reproof. David considereth the Dullness and Deadness of his Spirit, which many do not, but go on in a cold Tract of duties, and never reguard the frame of their Hearts. It is a good sign to observe our spiritual Temper, and accordingly go to God. Most observe their Bodies, but very few their Souls. If the body be ill at ease or out of Order, they complain presently, but love waxeth cold, and their Zeal for God and delight in him is abated, yet they never lay it to Heart.

Secondly, To exhort us to get and keep this lively frame of heart.

1. Get it. Pray for it, liveliness in obedience doth depend upon God's Blessing; unless he put life and keep life in our Souls, all cometh to nothing. Come to God upon the account of his Glory, Psal. 143. 11. Quicken me O Lord for thy Name sake, for thy Righteousness sake bring my Soul out of Trouble. His tender Mercies, Psal. 119. 156. Great are thy tender Mercies O Lord, quicken me according to thy Iudgments. Come to him upon the account of Christ, John 10. 10. I am come that they might have Life, and that they might have it more abundantly. And John 7. 38. He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said, out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of Living Water. Every new Act of Faith draweth from Christ some increase of Spiritual Life.

2. Stir up yourselves, Isa. 64. 7. There is none that calleth upon thy Name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee. 2 Tim. 1. 6. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. Psal. 42. 5. Why art thou cast down O my Soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet Praise him for the helps of his Countenance. We have liveliness enough in all businesses of Secular concernment: Consider what the business is that we are about. It is about our everlasting Estate, whether we shall live forever in Heaven, or Hell, and shall we trifle here? you had life in a way of sin, worldly men are lively. How dishonorable a thing is it to serve the Living God with a dead heart? a lukewarm frame is hateful to God, Rev. 3. 16. Because thou art Luk-warm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Take heed you do not lose quickening, and that

1. By our Corruption, by any heinous sin. Psal. 51. 10, 11, 12. Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a right Spirit within me; cast me not away from thy Presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me: restore unto me the Joy of thy Salvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit. The Spirit is a tender thing. A wound in the Body lets out the life blood.

Secondly, By an inordinate liberty in Worldly pleasures. 1 Tim. 7. 6. But she that liveth in Pleasure is dead while she liveth. Vain company, vain speeches and the like, these things shun and avoid. But Heb. 10. 24. Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works; let us follow good Examples: We grow formal and slight by imitation, others profess Religion and yet are dead-hearted, and vain and so are we. The Idolaters encouraged one another; Isa. 41. 6. 7. They helped everyone his Neighbor, and everyone said to his Brother, be of good courage, so the Carpenter encouraged the Goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the Hammer him that smootheth with the Anvil. We should encourage one another in the way of Godliness, and keep up a lively frame of heart towards God, and pray with the Psalmist in the Text, Turn away mine eyes from beholding Vanity, and quicken thou me in thy way.

Doct. That Particular Application of general Promises is necessary.

This word which he would have to be established was most likely to be a Promise of Sanctification, for in the former verse he had prayed for Mortification, and vivification, and now for Sanctification. But be it any other Promise, certainly that word which was made to others, was likewise made to me, as if he had been specified therein by name. Thus must general truths be taken home by particular application, that they may lie the closer to our hearts. Psal. 27. The offer of God's Favor is general (seek ye my Face) but the application is particular to himself, Lord I will seek thy face, David takes it as spoken to him in particular. So Psal. 1 •… 6. 15. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints, and then, truly Lord I am thy Servant, and the Son of thy handmaid. The comfort concerned all God's Children; the life and death of the Saints is very precious in the eyes of God, he hath a particular care over them, and tells all their bones; now Lord saith David, let me have the comfort of this promise, I am thy Servant. So 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful saying, &c. whereof I am chief. This holy Art should we learn of creeping under the covert of a Promise; and working ourselves by Faith into the comfort of it.

But rather Secondly, you may observe the Character that he puts upon himself, [Thy Servant] David was a King, but at the Throne of Grace he stiles himself God's Servant, the fittest title that he could use when he prays for Grace: Hence note,

Doct. He that is a Servant of God may seek and expect Grace from him.

Here I shall show,

• 1. Who is God's Servant?
• 2. Why we must use this Plea when we come to have promises accomplished.

First, Who is God's Servant? I Answer, He that dedicates himself to God's use, and he that lives under a sense and conscience of his Dedication.

1. He that dedicates himself to God's use. We are God's Servants by Covenant and voluntary Contract. 'It is true, our service is due to him upon other accounts, but we enter into it by contract. It is due by virtue of Creation, for he made us out of nothing, therefore we owe him all that we have, and thus all Creatures were made for God's Service. Psalm 119. 91. They continue this day according to thine Ordinances: for all are thy Servants. Heaven and Earth, and Sun and Moon, and Stars, and Beasts, and every creeping thing, and every Plant and Herb, they all serve God according to the ends for which they were made. But especially Men and Angels, they were made for God's use immediately. Other things were made ultimately and terminatively for God; Man immediately for God. Psal. 103. 21. The Angels are his Ministers, and so is Man God's Servant. And then by the right of Redemption, we are bound to serve him as the Captive was to serve the Buyer, He that bought another out of Slavery all his time and strength belonged to him, 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God with your Souls and Bodies. But this shows only de jure, what we ought to be, we ought all to be God's Servants, as he Created us, and Redeemed us by the Blood of Christ. But de facto, none are his Servants but those who resign and yield up themselves to his use, Rom. 6. 13. (Yield up yourselves to the Lord) God will have his right and title confirmed by our consent, and therefore he that is a Servant of God, one time or other hath entered into Covenant with God, he hath consented to yield up himself to walk with God in a strict obedience. All that thus yield up themselves to be God's Servants they do it with Shame, they are ashamed they did no sooner think of their Creator in their youth, at their first coming to the use of Reason, and think of him that bought them by his Blood. 1 Pet. 4. 3. (for the time past of our lives may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, &c.) They have too long dishonored God, destroyed their own Souls, and kept their Creator out of his right. And they do it too with a sense of God's Love, in the new title he hath by Redemption, 2 Cor. 5. 14, 15. For the Love of Christ constrains us, &c.

2. He is one that liveth under a sense and conscience of his Dedication; not as his own but God's. When you have given up yourselves to God's Service, you must not walk as you list, but as your Master pleaseth. Aristotle makes it the property of a Servant to be one that cannot live as he would, that hath no will of his own, but hath given up himself to be commanded and directed by another, and sometimes contrary to his own inclination. They are Rebels and not Servants that said, our tongues are our own, Psal. 12. 3. Your tongues are not your own to speak what you please; not your hearts your own to think what you please; not your hands your own to do what you please. You are God's servants, therefore must be wholly at his will. The Angels that are God's Ministers, when they are described, they do his pleasure, Psal. 103. 21. So your business is to do the will of God; not to please yourself, Men, or the flesh, but to please God, to do the will of God without any respect to your own inclinations, and worldly interests; and therefore your hearts will rise against sin upon this account, when you are tempted to do anything that is contrary to the will of God, O I am not my own, these members are Christ's. You look upon everything as God's to be employed to his Service.

Secondly, Those that would have the Word to be established, why must they be Servants of the Lord?

1. God doth not look to the work, but to the qualification of the Person. God will not accept a man for one good work, one Prayer, but he looks to the qualification of his Person. (The Prayer of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, Prov. 28. 9.) How is that? not only when it is managed in a careless fashion, when a wicked man prays wickedly; no, let him do his best, for 'tis said Prov. 21. 27. (The Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination: How much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind.) at best it is an abomination, God will not accept of a Sacrifice at his hands, and therefore the qualification of the person is to be regarded when we pray for a blessing promised, James 5. 16. There is the qualification of the Prayer, it must be fervent, effectual, a Prayer driven with Life and Motion, that hath Spirit and Life; I, but it must be of a Righteous Person. As Naturallists speak of a Jewel, which if put into a dead man's mouth loseth all its virtue and efficacy: So Prayer in the mouth of a wicked carnal man, loseth its efficacy with God. When one that had revolted from the Romans sent gifts to the Roman General, he made him this Answer, he should first return to his obedience to the State of Rome: So God saith to wicked men, first let them be God's Servants, and then they shall have the blessing of his Promises.

2. It is agreeable to the Covenant, for the Covenant is mutual, I will be your God and you shall be my People. All Promises relate to a Covenant. Now in every Covenant there is ratio dati & accepti, something required as well as something given, for it binds mutually; therefore if we would have God give us Grace we must yield Obedience. Precepts and Promises go hand in hand, and therefore they that would have Promises performed, they must observe Precepts; And mingle resolutions of Duty with Expectations of mercy; That's the Covenant way of Dealing with God; There must be a sincere Purpose and endeavor to serve God; I am thy Servant therefore stablish thy Word to me.

Use. To press you to become God's servants. I might bring Motives both from the time past, present, and to come.

1. From the time Past; You are obliged to be so. You are his Creatures, you have Life, Being, and all things from him. We cannot receive a small kindness from man, but it doth produce respect, I am your Servant. Shall a kindness from God less affect us, who made us, and gives us Life, Breath, and all things? We take no notice of what comes from an invisible Hand. Here's the wonder, that the great God who hath no need of us, so often provoked by us, that is of such Excellent Majesty, so far above us, should take notice of us: Therefore, if God made us, keeps us, and maintains us from Day to Day, and that he abaseth himself to behold us, to look after us, this should engage us. And then from what is Present, the honor that is put upon you, it is a great advancement to be God's servant. The meanest Offices about Princes are accounted honorable. Jesus Christ himself as Mediator he hath this Title put upon him (my righteous Servant, 53. Isa. 11.) and the Angels they are your fellow Servants, Psal. 103. 2. they are called Ministers of God. Likewise for the present you have free access to God, God's servants may stand in his Presence, and they have Liberty to ask anything they need of. The Queen of Sheba said concerning Solomon in the 1 Kings. 10. 8. (Happy are these thy Servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy Wisdom) Much more may it be said concerning God's servants, Blessed are those that stand in his Presence, that have such free leave to hold Communion with God; To come and have assurance of welcome when ever they come. And for the time to Come, God's service will issue itself into everlasting Blessedness: God's servants have Excellent wages, John 12. 26. (If any man serve me, he shall be there where I am, and my Father will honor him) Christ and his Father will study what honor they can put upon him. Therefore be God's servants that you may please him for the present, and comfortably wait for his everlasting Blessing. Thus I have gone over the first thing, namely the request, Stablish thy Word unto thy Servant.

Secondly, The Motive and Argument, who is devoted to thy fear. The word may be rendered either Which, or Who; as relating either to thy Word, or thy Servant.

1. Thy word; for in the Original Heb. the posture of the verse is thus, Stablish to thy Servant thy word which is to the fearing of thee. That is, given that thou mayest be feared. There being in the word of God the greatest Arguments and Inducements to fear and reverence, and obey him. The word of God was appointed to this use to plant the fear of God in our Hearts, and to increase our reverence of God; Not that we may play the wantons with Promises, and feed our Lusts with them. I rather take our own Translation as more accommodate, and it hath such a Sence as that, 109. Psal. 4. (But I give myself unto Prayer) In the Original 'It is, But I prayer. And 2. Stablish thy word to thy Servant, Who is to thy fear. Our Translators add to make the Sence more full, addicted, devoted to thy fear, (that is) that makes it his Business, Care, and Desire to stand in fear of God.

Now this is added as a true note and Description of God's servants, as being a main thing in Religion, Psal. 111. 10. (The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom) the first in point of Order, and it is the first thing when we begin to be wise, to think of God, to have awful thoughts of God, it is a chief point of Wisdom, the great thing that makes us wise to Salvation. And it is added as an Argument of Prayer, 1. Nehe. 11. (O Lord let thine Ear be attentive to the Prayer of thy Servants, who desire to fear thy Name.) The more any is given to the fear of God, the more assurance they have of God's Love, and readiness to hear them at the throne of Grace. The point is this,

Doct. That man is indeed God's servant who is devoted to his fear.

There may be weaknesses and failings, but for the main he is swayed by the fear of God.

• 1. What it is to fear God.
• 2. Why this is a sure note of God's servant, because it removes all the lets of Obedience.

First, what it is to fear God. There is a servile and a filial fear; A fear of Wrath which the worst may have, James 2. 19. The Devils believe and tremble; And a fear of offending which the best must have, Prov. 28. 14. Blessed is he that feareth always, a reverend disposition of Heart towards God as our Sovereign Lord and Master, yea, as our Father in Jesus Christ.

For the First of these.

1. A fear of Wrath. Every fear of Wrath is not sinful; it is a duty rather than a sin, all God's children are bound to have a tender sense of God's wrath or displeasure against sin, to make them awful and serious in the Spiritual Life, as in Heb. 12. 27. Let us serve God with reverence and Godly fear: Mark upon that account and consideration, as He is a consuming fire; that should have an influence upon our Godly fear; And Mat. 10. 28. Fear not them that can but kill the Body: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both Body and Soul in Hell. The words do not only contain a description of the Person who ought to be feared, but the ground and reason why he is to be feared, and therefore it is not simply the fear of wrath that is sinful, but it is the Servility and Slavishness of it. Now what is the Servility and Slavishness of the fear of Wrath? partly when our own smart and terror is feared more than the displeasing of God; and they have a mind to sin but are afraid of Hell, and it is fear accompanied with hatred. Servil fear though it keep us from some sins, as a Wolf may be scared from the Prey, yet keeps its devouring Nature. It is accompanied with hatred of God; all that fear God they hate him; and indeed they could wish there were no God, none to call them to account; they could wish he were not so Just and Holy as he is; and so here lies the evil of it, not so much as fear of Wrath, (for that is a Grace rightly conversant about its Object) but as it tends to this hatred of God, and partly too, Servility lies in this, as it makes us shy of God, and run away from him, rather than draw near to him, as Adam ran into the Bushes to hide himself. Holy fear is an awe of God upon the Soul, but that keeps us in a holy Communion with him, I will put my fear into their hearts, and they shall not depart from me, but that fear which makes us fly from God is slavish, and partly as it hath torment and perplexity in it, and so hindereth us in God's service, Fear hath Torment in it, The fear of Wrath that is a Duty, but Slavish Fear is such a fear of wrath which makes us hate God, and shun his presence, and afraid more of wronging ourselves, than wronging of God, and such a fear that hath torment and perplexity in it, that cannot serve God so cheerfully.

2. There is a filial fear, a fear of Reverence. This fear of God was in Christ as Mediator, Isa. 11. 1. 2. Among other Graces there reckoned up which do belong to Jehovah the Branch, to Christ Jesus, this is one, (The fear of the Lord.) Christ as Man had a reverend affection to his Father whom he served, and this fear it continueth to all Eternity in the blessed Spirits that are in Heaven. The Saints and Angels have this kind of fear, a dread of the holy God, and a reverent and awful respect to his Majesty. It is an essential respect which passeth between the Creature and the Creator, and can never be abolished. Now this fear of Reverence consisteth, in a high esteem of God, of his Majesty, Glory, Power, and in the sense and continual thoughts of his presence. And then a loathness to sin against God, or to offend in his sight, to do anything that is unseemly when God is a looker on. What! can a man sin freely that lives in the sight of the holy God, when he hath a deep sense of his Excellency imprinted in his heart. This is that fear which is the note of God's Servants.

Secondly, This must needs be the note of God's Servants because it is the great Principle that both hindereth us from sin, and quickeneth us to duty. The fear of God is one of the radical and essential Graces which belongeth to a Christian. It is a mighty restraint from Sin. The Beasts were made to serve men, and how are they held in Subjection and Obedience to man? (The dread of you saith God shall be upon every Beast of the Earth, Gen. 3.) So we are made for the Service of God. Now how are we kept in Subjection to God? When the fear of God is upon our heart, that will not suffer us freely to do anything that is displeasing to God, Exod. 20. 20. (God is come to prove you, that his fear may be before your faces that you sin not. It is a great remedy against all Temptation of Gain, and worldly Profit, and temporal Convenience. Look as that man that had a fear of the King upon his heart, 2 Sam. 18. 12. Why didst thou not smite him to the ground saith Joab? and the man answered, though I should receive a thousand Shekels, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the Kings Son. Just such a fear hath a child of God of his Heavenly King, No, though I should have never so much offered me to tempt me from my Duty; No, I dare not, the Lord hath charged me to the contrary. Or, as when the Recabites were tempted to drink Wine; Pots were brought before them to inflame their Appetite, No, we dare not. These passages express the workings of heart in one that fears God, though temptation be present, and never so much convenience thereby, yet how can they do this Wickedness and sin against God?

Use. It informeth us who are God's Servants. Those that have most of this fear of God planted in their hearts; Nehemiah 7. 2. He was a faithful man, and feared God above many. And then that they express it in their conversation; God will not take it planted in our hearts, if we do not obey him in those things that are contrary to our Interests and natural Affections. When God tried Abraham that was to offer his Isaac, Gen. 22. Now I know that thou fearest me, since thou hast not withheld thine only Son, &c. why was Abraham unknown to God before that time? As Peter told Christ, Lord thou knowest all things; cannot God see the inward Springs and Motions of our Souls, and what Affections are there? Could not God tell what was in Abraham? But now I acknowledge. For God will not acknowledge it in this sense until we express it. They are the true Servants of God, that have his fear planted in their hearts, and express it upon all occasions.

Doct. 1. To love and long for a holy, and perfect, and entire Subjection to the Will of God is a good frame of heart.

This may be Confirmed by these Considerations,

1. All Natures have a propension unto their perfect estate; as Fire to go upward, where its place is; and heavy bodies to move downward, where is their seat and rest; Plants have a virtue in their Seed which is ever working to produce their Flower; Beasts have an appetite by which their nature is nourished and preserved; and Man hath a desire to prepare and fit him for that which is good and proper for him. The Psalmist tells us, That God openeth his hand, and satisfieth the desire of every living thing, Psal. 145. 16. There is an instinct in every living thing which leads them towards the sustaining and perfecting of that nature which they have. That which is called Inclination in the Creatures without Life; Attraction of nourishment in Plants; and Appetite in the Beasts; is in Man, Desire. And so now proportionably, the New-creature, the Saints, they have an appetite suitable to their nature, 1 Pet. 2. 2. (As new-born Babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that they may grow thereby,) Appetite still followeth Life, and prepares men for receiving things good for them, Psal. 10. 17. (Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble, thou hast prepared their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear.) A desire of relief vented in Prayer, prepares and fits us to receive those blessings which are good for us. And therefore as all natures have a propension to their perfect estate, so those that are new creatures long, and vehemently tend towards holiness.

2. Desires set upon Holiness are an affection properly exercised, and upon its due Object. Desire it is an earnest reaching forth of the soul after good absent and not yet attained. The Object of it is something good, and the more truly good it is, the more is our desire justified. There are certain bastard goods of a base and transitory nature, as pleasure, profit; we may easily over-lash and exceed in these things. But on holiness which is more high and noble, and is truly good, and of greater vicinity and nearness to our chiefest good, than those other things are, we cannot exceed, there the faculty is rightly placed. When we are hasty and passionate for these other things, the heart is corrupted, it is hard to escape sin, Prov. 28. 22. (He that makes haste to be rich cannot be Innocent) and he that loves pleasure is in danger of not loving God, or loving it more than God, 2 Tim. 3. 4. But now in holiness there is no such snare: a man cannot be holy enough, nor like enough to God, and therefore here we may freely let out our affections to the full. When our desires are freely let out to other things, they are like a member out of Joynt, as when the arms hang backward; but here they are in their proper place; this is that which cannot be loved beyond what it doth deserve. A Christian should set no manner of bounds to himself in holiness, for he is to be holy in all manner of Conversation, 1 Pet. 1. 15. and to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect, Mat. 5. 48. And then desire is not only after that which is good, but after a good absent. Desire ariseth from a sense of vacuity and emptiness, emptiness is the cause of Appetites, and therefore it is compared to hunger and thirst, Mat. 5. 6. (Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness) So it is in desiring holiness, we have not yet attained. Phil. 3. 13. There is an indigence and emptiness, we are not already perfect, we want more than we have, and our enjoyments are little in comparison of our expectations. And therefore we should make a swifter Progress towards the mark, and with more earnestness of soul should press after that sinless estate we expect. That little we have doth but quicken us to inquire after more; not cloy but provoke the appetite. As a man hath a better stomach sometimes when he doth begin to eat: So when we begin with God, and have tasted of holiness, and tasted of comfort, being brought into a sense of obedience and subjection to God, we should desire more? for certainly he is not good that doth not desire to be better; So that David might well say, I have longed after thy Precepts.

3. Consider the nature of these Desires, they are the genuine Birth and Off-spring of the Soul, Motions of the Heart, freest from constraint, and so do best discover the Temper of it, and show that it is not tainted and Byassed with secular and worldly Delights. No man can be constrained to will that which he doth not Love. Practises may be over-rull'd. Ill men they dare not Act so much evil as they desire for fear of Shame, Punishment and other By-ends: And good men do not Act so much good as they do desire, because of that weak and imperfect State wherein they are. Paul was better at Willing than at Doing, 7. Rom. 18. (To Will is present with me, but how to Perform that which is good I find not.) And other of the Saints of God though they could not plead their Exact performance, and their full and effectual Compliance with the will of God, yet have Pleaded their desires, 26. Isa. 8. (The desire of our Soul is to thy Name.) 1. Nehe. 11. (We desire to fear thy Name.) And Peter appeals to Christ's Omnisciency, Lord thou knowest that I Love thee; John 21. 17. The Temper and Constitution of their Hearts, and the strength of Grace, is seen more in desiring many times than in doing. These are the Pulses by which you may feel the state of your Souls, when there are longing and vehement Desires of your Souls after God's Precepts.

4. Consider the use and necessity of these desires, still the Point will be justified. The natural use of desire is to engage us to Act, and to keep us up in an earnest Profecution of that which is good for us, notwithstanding the Oppositions and Discouragments which come between Desire and Fruition. For all good being hard to come by; unless Desires be strongly fixed, men are soon put out of the Humour, and so nothing would be done to any purpose in the World. Surely Holiness that is so difficult and distasteful to Flesh and Blood would be but little looked after, if there were not strength of Desires to keep it up. Therefore is this affection, that we may encounter Difficulties and Oppositions. As Nehe. 4. 6. When there were Difficulties and Straits, it is said, (They built the Wall, for the People had a mind to work) that is, their Hearts were set upon it. So if we had a mind to any Excellent thing, it is this mind that keeps us up in the midst of all Difficulties and Labors. All excellent Things are hard to come by, it is so in Earthly matters, much more in Spiritual. The Lord will have it so to make us Prize them more, for things soon got are little esteemed. As riotous Heirs which know not how to get an Estate, lavishly spend it. A man is chary of what is hardly gotten. Jacob prized Rachel the more because he was forced to serve for her so long; So we shall prize Heavenly things the more, when they cost us a great deal of Diligence and Labor to get them. Now sluggish Desires soon fail, but Vehement longings keep the Heart a work.

5. Consider the issue of these Desires. As they come from a good Cause, which is the new Nature, and a new Life (for Appetite follows Life) so they tend to a good Effect, are sure of a good Accomplishment and Satisfaction. God is wont to give Spiritual things to those that desire them, there the Rule is, Ask and have. It is not so in carnal Things; many that seek and hunt after them with all the Strength and Labor of their Souls, at length are miserably disappointed; But all the Promises run for Satisfaction to a Hungry, Thirsty, Earnest and Longing Soul, 5. Math. 6. Those that are hungry, and have a strong Desire upon them he will fill, 1. Luke 51. And open thy Mouthwide and I will fill it, 81. Psal. 10. They that open unto him as the thirsty Land for the Rain. God that gives Velle, to Will, will give Posse to Do; First the Desire, and then the Satisfaction; and therefore where there is this strength of Desire, though there may be some failing in other things in our Endeavors and Performances, yet the Lord will accept it.

6. It argues some nearness to complete Fruition, or to full Satisfaction in Heaven, when we begin to be more earnest after Holiness than we were before, and after more of God and his Grace and Image to be set up in our Souls. The more we desire Holiness, the more ripe for Heaven. This is a Rule, The nearer we are to any good thing our Hearts are set upon, the more impatient in the want of it, as natural Motions are swifter in the end than in the beginning, though violent Motions are swifter in the beginning; while the impression of the stone lasts it is swift, but afterwards it abates: So, when the Soul beats so strongly after God and Holiness, and larger measures of Grace, 'tis a sign we are Ripening apace for Heaven. Paul, when he was grown aged in Christianity then he saith, Rom. 7. 24. Who shall deliver me from this Body of Death? As what we translate in the Psalms, O that Salvation were come out of Zion; It is in the Hebrew, Who shall give Salvation? So here, it is an Hebreisme, Who shall? that is, O that I were delivered. He had many afflictions, he was in Perills often, Scourged, Whipped, Persecuted; but he doth not say, O that I could get rid of this troublesome Life of affliction; but it was the Body of Death, the remainders of Corruption was most burdensome to him. The Children of God their Pulses beat strongly when they are upon the Confines of Eternity, and their full and final Consummation. These men begin to Ripen for their Heavenly State into which God will translate them.

Use 1. For Conviction of several sorts of Persons that are sar from this Temper and frame of Heart. To begin with the most Notorious.

1. Some desire Sin with a passionate Earnestness, Job 15. 16. He drinketh iniquity like Water. As a thirsty Beast in those hot Countries would drink in water, so did they drink in Sin. Most wicked men are mad when their Lusts are set a working; and there are some whose constant frame of Heart it is, who make hast, who march furiously as if they were afraid of coming to Hell too late, bear down Conscience, Word, and all before them, that set themselves to do Evil with both hands earnestly, that have a strong desire after Sin, and are carried out with as impatient longing after Sin, as the Children of God, such Eminent ones of God after Holiness.

(2.) Some have no desire to the ways of God at all, Job 21. 14. They say unto God, depart from us: For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways; the Hearts of many say so though their Tongues do not. They are those which shut out the Light, that cannot endure a searching Ministry, lest it should trouble their Lusts, disturb the Devils Kingdom; that banish the thoughts of God out of their Hearts, lest it revive the Sense of their Obligation to duty, that set Conscience a challenging God's right in their Souls, that keep off from the Light.

(3.) There are some that are insatiable in worldly things, but have no Savour of these Heavenly and Holy things; they are Thirsty for the Earth, But God is not in all their thoughts, Psal. 10. 4. a little Grace will serve their turn, and think there is more ado than needs about Heaven and Heavenly things. Alas the very contrary is true, a little of the World will serve their turn here below. If men had not a mind to increase their Temptations and Snares about a frail and temporal Life, why do they make so much ado? When many times they are taken away before they have Roasted what they have got in Hunting. God takes them away, but their Eternal estate is little looked after. Riches qualify us not, but Holiness doth qualify us for Heaven, and it is our Ornament before God and his holy Angels. And woe be to us if our poor Souls be thrust out Naked and Uncloathed in the other World. Can we hunger and hanker after these lying Vanities, and have no Hungering and Thirsting after Grace? a little time will wear out the distinction of Rich and Poor, High and Low; but the distinction of Holy and Good, will continue to Eternity; Think of that time when not only the World, but the Lust will pass away. The lust of the World may be gone before we are out of the World, as in Sickness and Pains, but he that doth the will of God abideth forever. When we are Sick and Dying we have some kind of Notions and Apprehensions of these things; then we can long and wish we had served God more strictly, loved him more strongly, obeyed him more faithfully; We must have these thoughts while we are Living.

(4.) Many desire Happiness, but not Hollness; Comfort, without Grace; they would be eased of their present Smart, and freed from Sin but not subdued to God. David saith, (Behold I have longed after thy Precepts) not merely after the Comfort of the Promises, without regard to Duty. The Prophet tells us, Hosea 10. 11. That Ephraim was like an Heifer that was taught, that would Tread out the Corn, but would not endure the Yoke, and break the Clods. In Ploughing and Harrowing there was very hard work but no Profit, but in treading out the Corn (for as we thresh out our Corn, so they trod it out by the feet of Oxen, the mouth of the Ox was not to be muzzled) that there might be a great deal of Privilege and Profit with it: So Ephraim is like a Heifer that is taught, they taught the Oxen to tread out the Corn, but we will not endure the Yoak (that is) we are all for Privileges, but neglect Obedience. There is no such great difficulty about the End, indeed we are careless about it, all the business is we stick at the Means, Mat. 6. 33. Seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness. By the Kingdom of God is meant, the Royal Privileges, and Immunities of the Gospel-state; and by his Righteousness is meant the Subjection, the service God requires of us. Now it is good when we seek both, but we must not seek one without the other; God and the World would sooner agree. If God would bestow the Privileges of his Kingdom, and dispense with the duties, God might have customers enough for Comfort, Pardon, Heaven, Happiness. No man is so senseless as not to desire these things in some measure, but they will not come to God's price, they do not desire these things upon God's terms. The hearts of the Saints are as earnestly after Sanctification when they are acquainted with God, and brought under the power of Grace, that holiness may be increased in them; as Rom. 7. 24. O that I were delivered from sin! Psal. 119. 5. O that my ways were directed to keep thy Statutes! Not only for the happy part of Religion, but they are longing how they may please God, and comply with their manifold obligations to God, and brought to a more perfect conformity to God. Thus the hearts of the Saints work.

(5.) There are many pretenders to a fair respect to God's Precepts, they are as much for Holiness as for Pardon and Grace, when it is nothing so.

1. They say they desire to obey God in all things, but can they seriously and sincerely appeal to God for the sincerity and truth of what they say; for so doth David here when he comes to God, Behold, I have longed for thy Precepts; or as Peter appeals to Christ, John. 21. 17. Lord thou knowest that I love thee, that is to say, when they have revived the sense of the nature of God, and of his all seeing Eye upon their hearts, when they have a due sense of God upon their souls, otherwise they deal deceitfully. Alas! an evil Conscience is afraid, it cannot offer itself thus to God when they are serious and think of what they say, they cannot endure to think of his trial. As an Eye hurt seeks for a cover to hide it from the light: so when a sense of God is lessened, they may talk presumptuous expressions of their own sincerity: but when they are most serious, and have revived the sense of God upon their hearts, and look upon him as an all-seeing God that searcheth the heart, they cannot say then, I have longed after thy Precepts.

2. They not only say so, but they think so, that they desire holiness as much as others, when indeed it is no such matter. The deceit lies in this, because they take a wish for a desire; a velleity for a volition.

Quest. What is the difference between a wish and a desire?

Answ. Very great.

1. They that have only a wish for holiness, They love holiness in the abstract, and in the general notion, which they hate in the effect; they do not know what is included in holiness and close-walking with God. As John 6. 34. Ever more give us of this Bread of Life, But when Christ told them what it was to have this Bread of Life, then they were offended. So the Israelites, when they considered Holiness and the Service of God in the abstract, O! We will serve the Lord say they; saith Joshua you cannot serve the Lord, for he is a Iealous God. Joshua 24. 18, 19. Holiness in the abstract and notion is amiable, and is apprehended as a necessary thing: But now when it comes to the point of entering in at the strait gate, walking in the narrow way of watching and striving against Sin, of rowing against the stream of flesh and blood, of constant Communion with God, and diligent attendance upon his holy Worship, then they will do nothing. When they take up their Duty by the lump, they are well pleased with it, and it is easy to give up to God in the General, but particulars we stick at. Therefore here's the fault, in these wishes and velleities that they do not sufficiently poise their duty.

2. These wishes are hasty and not serious. The Commendation of Spiritual things, and the representation of their absolute necessity may produce strange motions for the present, but there's a ground of suspicion, because people all of a sudden become so vehement. The Seed that fell into the stony ground forthwith sprang up, Mat. 13. 5. O! but it needs much wrestling and care to cherish and raise up these serious and fixed desires, and this constant bent of heart towards God. Free-will-pangs of natural devotion are soon spent, they are like the morning dew, suddenly falls, and suddenly dried up. Deut. 5. 29. When the people were frighted into a sense of Religion, Say they, All that the Lord hath spoken, will we do. They have well said saith God, it is a good Resolution, But O that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me always. Many times there are certain desires and resolutions that have a moral sincerity in them (that is) we do not dissemble for the present, but they have not a bottom of Grace, supernatural sincerity to bear them up.

3. They are not constant desires, but as they are soon up, so soon down. Our Lord Jesus saith, Mat. 5. 6. Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after Righteousness, not only shall be, but are blessed for the present. Mark, it is in the Greek, they that are hungering and thirsting: these Participles, as all Grammarians know, note a continued Act. The Fire on the Altar was never to go out, Lev. 6. 12. There are certain unfixed desires and inconstant motions, which for a time are very passionate; as water seething hot over the fire, take it off, it returns to its natural temper, and it is colder afterwards; so the Soul returns to its bias and old bent again towards worldly things; therefore there must be a constant desire kept up; such as enjoy the Grace of God will still need and desire more; this is the constant temper of their Souls, they are always desiring and longing after God's Precepts, and more Grace to keep his Will.

4. In those desires which they seem to have after holiness, here is the defect, they are not laborious. He that longs for God's Precepts will do his utmost endeavor that he may yield uniform Obedience to God. The Scripture placeth much upon the Will. Macarius, an ancient practical Writer puts this Question, Who are those that have a will to God and Heavenly things? and a will to the waters of Life? What demonstrations can there be of a will? Nothing but constant labor. If there be such a will as to set you a work; and a desire which makes you diligent. Lazy Prayers and feeble Endeavors, they do not argue any great strength of desire. Alas! when a man asketh Grace indifferently, and coldly, and is almost at an even point whether God hears him or no, and doth not seek after that Grace, and excites his soul; this man hath not a desire because it is not laborious. If it be not an operative desire it is but a velleity; a will it is not. All their Prayers are but the ejaculations of speculative fancy, not the products of true Affection, for that would be industrious. Prov. 21. 25. The desire of the Sloathful killeth, for his hands refuse to labor. They do not manifest the life and strength of Love in their endeavors that they seem to have in their Prayers. Cold Prayer they may put up for Grace; that God may make them better, and they wish it were better with them, and that the Lord would bring them to a greater conformity. But these are not laborious desires: volens sed nolens, they would but they will not (that is to say) O that I were at such an earthly place, and never travel the way to get there. So, would I had learned such a Lesson, yet like a lazy Boy they set not themselves in good earnest to do it. They seem to will or wish, therefore they are but Wouldings not Willings, they do not in good earnest set themselves to get that Grace. There is not such an invincible resolution to get through, and a serious industry, that they may attain those things they seem to long for.

5. These wishes and desires which are in Carnal men are not permanent, that overcome the desire of other things; they will not absolutely set about it to be done whatever it cost them; but such desires as are sincere overcome all earthly desires and delights whatever. They would have Grace, but yet would live as they do. It is not such a desire as to control other things, but is controlled by them. The desires of Grace is an underling, and mastered by the desires of pleasures or profits of the World, and other delights. Many have a desire, but it is easily subdued, it is not prevalent. Alas there may a faint desire be stirred up by enlightened Conscience, and not by a fruit of a renewed Will. A dictate of Conscience must be distinguished from a desire of the heart. Illuminated Conscience tells them they must grow more holy and heavenly, and wish they were so, but the heart is not perfectly subdued to God; they are directed by their interest; they make not this the main and great interest of their lives. David when he expresseth his desires, mentions it thus, Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that is, I will make this my business, the chiefest matter of my care. But now they that care not whether they have it yea or no, this cannot be a desire, Phil. 2. 12. We are bid to work out our Salvation mith fear and trembling. We must carry on the business of godliness with a great deal of Solicitude; but their affections sway them more to other things.

Doct. 2. Those that indeed long for Holiness, will see a need of new quickening.

So David, Quicken me in thy Righteousness. A man would have thought he had been in a lively frame then; yet quicken me in thy Righteousness; excite and enliven me to all Acts of Obedience.

Here I shall Enquire,

• 1. What is this quickening?
• 2. Why they that long for God's Precepts, and a more perfect and ready Subjection to God, are thus earnest for quickening?

First, What is this quickening? I shall not speak at large, for it often occurrs in this Psalm: It is used in Scripture for two things.

1. For Regeneration, or the first infusion of the life of Grace, Ephes. 2. 1, 5. Then we have Divine Qualities put into us that do incline and enable us to live unto God.

2. It is put for the vitality, and the vigor of grace, when the Spiritual life is in good plight, deadness of heart is apt to creep upon us, therefore we need renewed excitations and quickenings, that we may serve our God with cheerfulness, liveliness, and zeal. Christians should not only be living but lively, 1 Pet. 2. 5. Ye also as lively stones are built up a Spiritual House. And we read of living Grace, and lively Grace, 1 Pet. 1. 3. And Christ came into the World that we might not only have life, but have it more abundantly, John 10. 10. that is, that we might not only be living but lively. So that quickening is the actuation of the Spiritual life, either in a way of Comfort or Grace. There may be life where there is not this vigor, and this vitality. This quickening is mainly seen in the most operative, and the two necessary Graces of the Soul to which the Gospel is sometimes reduced, and they are Faith and Love. These are the Graces wherein Life consists; and as these are acted and excited to God, so we are lively; and when these decay we are dead. When Faith is dead all Spiritual activity is lost, James 2. 26. For as the Body without the Spirit is dead, so Faith without works is dead also. If men want Faith they cannot do anything with any life. So when Love is dead, or Love grows cold, Mat. 24. •… 2. Or when men have any abatement in their Love, all languisheth and grows dead in the Soul, Rev. 2. 4, 5. But on the contrary, it is said we live by Faith, Gal. 2. 20. Grace is kept in good plight when Faith is strong, and kept up in any vigor. And Gal. 5. 6. Faith which worketh by Love.

Well, this quickening (that I may most sensibly demonstrate it) depends upon these two things.

1. The Vitality of Grace that depends upon the degree and measure of our Faith. For to speak nothing as to the mystical use, as it is a means of our Function of Life; but to speak only now as to its moral use, as it acts by the sight of invisible things; keep Faith alive, and all is alive in the Soul, Heb. 11. 1. (Faith is the evidence of things not seen) it doth make things absent, and things not seen to act as if they were present; therefore it must needs be a very enlivening thing. Without Faith our notions of God, Christ, Heaven, and Hell, are never practical and lively in operation; for this is the evidence of things not seen; and this convinceth us of all Spiritual and unseen things, to make them have a force and operation upon the soul. We do but hear, read, and discourse literally until Faith puts life into our apprehensions and thoughts of them. For Faith will affect us as if we did see the invisible God; and will put the same affections into us as if Christ were Crucified before our eyes, Gal. 3. 1. What is the reason the Mistery of Redemption is a wild story to some, lively to others? Faith affects the heart as if he were crucified before our eyes, and his Life dropt out from him by degrees. So Faith makes us hug and embrace them as if we were in the midst of the Glory of the blessed ones. Take it only in its moral use it is an enlivening thing; And as Faith is kept up in any Vigour, so the spiritual Lise is kept up.

2. For Love. When we have a fresh and warm Sense of the Love of God upon our Souls, we are quickened to do for him answerable to such a Love; and our Souls reasons, What hath God done so great things for us in Christ, and we do nothing for God again? Then we see we cannot do anything too much. Love hath a law upon the Soul that stirs up lively and Zealous motions towards God, 2 Cor. 5. 14. (The love of Christ constraineth us) 1 John. 5. 3. His Commandments are not grievous; Then everything goes on Pleasantly, and runs upon it's Wheels.

Secondly, Why will they that long after God's Precepts, see a need of quickening?

1. Because of the Diseases incident to the renewed Estate. There's a constant weakness by reason of in-dwelling Corruption. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit. Gall. 5. 17. They cannot serve God with that Purity and Liberty they desire. Then there are frequent indispositions of Soul sometimes; they feel a slowness, and loathness, and dullness in their Souls. Good men may yet be slow of Heart to heavenly things, Luk. 24. 25. Look as the Physician saith, weariness that comes of its own accord is a sign of some Disease upon us: Laziness in Duty comes from a remiss Will. Sometimes too they find great Deadness that they cannot follow their work so close, and with that Life and Earnestness. And sometimes they are in Bonds, sometimes in Straits that they cannot enlarge and dilate themselves towards God. Psal. 119. 32. When thou shalt enlarge my Heart, I will run the ways of thy Commandments. Now they that mind their work, they will be Sensible of this, and call upon God to quicken them. David complains of the dullness and deadness of his Spirit, but many do not, but go on in a Cold track of Duties, and rever regard the frame of their Hearts. But now a good man observes the Temper of his Soul. Most observe their Bodies, but few their Souls. If their body be ill at ease, and out of order they Complain presently: but Love waxeth Cold, Zeal for God, and delight in God abateth, men grow weary in Well-doing, grow flat, have this remiss Will, this Deadness and Slowness of soul in the love of God, they can satisfy themselves in this Frame and Temper.

2. Because too without this supervening and quickening Grace, they can never serve God cheerfully, nor do anything to purpose in the Heavenly life, our general work of Obedience goes on slowly, Psal. 119. 88. Quicken me, so shall I keep the Testimony of thy Mouth, then I shall do good to purpose. But Religion is an irksome thing when we are Dead-hearted. For particular Duties, it is not enough to Pray, but it must be with Life, Psal. 80. 18. Quicken us, and we will call upon thy Name. It is not enough to Hear, but to hear with Life, Mat. 13. 15. It is a judgment to be dull of hearing.

3. As it is uncomfortable to themselves to Act without quickening Grace, so it is a thing very hateful with God, a cold luke-warm Temper. Rev. 3. 16. I will spew thee out of my Mouth. This dull and stupid Profession is contrary to God, and hateful to God, and such as content themselves with this dead Profession, God will spew them out of his mouth. And it is contrary to all the provision God hath made for us. Christ is set up as a fountain of Grace in our nature. John 10. 10. I am come that they might have Life, and that they might have it more abundantly. The Lord hath justified us by his Grace, sprinkled our Hearts that we might serve the living God, serve him in a living manner; for Titles given to God imply the qualification in hand; Heb. 9. 14. and he hath sanctified us, planted Grace in our Hearts on purpose to maintain the life given us, that there might be a lively Hope. And all hearing is for Life, Isa. 55. 3. we come to lively Oracles that we may be quickened. The joys of Heaven, Redemption by Christ, Hells Torments, these Doctrines are all quickening truths. And the Lord hath given his flesh, not only to God for a sacrifice, but to us for Food that we may live, John 6. 51. Therefore to be cold it is Odious to God.

Use 1. For Caution,

1. Let us take heed we lose not quickening through our own default, that we lose not this enlivening Grace. We may lose it by any heinous Sin of ours, for by grieving the Spirit we bring on deadness upon the Heart, Psal. 51. 10, 11, 12. When David sinned heinously, he begs the Lord to quicken him, and restore his free Spirit, and the joy of his Salvation. The spirit is a tender thing. Every heinous sin is as a wound in the Body which lets out the life Blood, and so we contract a Deadness upon ourselves.

2. Take heed of immoderate Liberty or Vanities of the world, or Pleasures of the flesh if you would not lose this quickening. The Apostle tells us, 1 Tim. 5, 6. (The woman that liveth in Pleasure, is dead while she Liveth) Pleasures have a strange infatuation, they bring a brawn and deadness upon the Heart, and hinder the Sprightliness of spiritual and Heavenly affections, Psal. 119. 37. (Turn away mine Eyes from beholding Vanity; And quicken thou me in thy way) These two Prayers join'd together speak thus much, if you be too busy about Vanity, it will bring on a Brawn and Deadness, and so you need to go to God for quickening. And Christ tells his disciples, Luke 21. 34. (Take heed of being over-charged, &c.) The soul is mightily distempered by too free a Liberty of the delights of the Flesh: for Surfeiting and Drunkenness must not be taken there in the gross Notion.

3. Let us take heed that we do not lose it by our Sloathfulness and Negligence in the spiritual Life. Isa. 64. 7. There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee. As in a Watch one Wheel protrudes and thrusts forward another, so when we are diligent all is lively in the Soul, but when we are not active and serious in a Godly course all goes to Rack. An Instrument though it be never so much in Tune, yet laid by and hung up it grows out of Order. Wells are sweetet for draining; Our Graces if we keep not them awork lose their Vitality, if we do not stir up the Grace of God, 2 Tim. 3. 6. they are quite quenched; when we grow careless, and neglectful of our Souls, we lose this Activity of Grace.

4. Vain and Dead-hearted Company and Converse are a very great means to damp the Spirit, and quench the Motions of the heavenly Life. We should Provoke one another to good Works, Heb. 10. 24. There is great Provocation in good Examples; but we grow Lazy, Formal, slight by imitation. Others profess Knowledge, yet are Vain, Dead-hearted, so are we, we have adopted it into our Manners, and leaven one another by this means. There should be a holy Contention who should be most forward in the ways of Godliness, and excel in our Heavenly calling, this keeps Christians lively. Saul, when he was among the Prophets he Prophecied, but when we converse with Dead-hearted company, it breeds a great Damp. You read in Isa. 41. 6. 7. how the Idolaters encouraged one another, (it was when the Isles was to wait for the Messiah) that they should not faint, but get up their Idols again, after Christ had got a little footing among them; and shall not the Children of God encourage, and keep up the life of Zeal one in another?

Use 2. Exhortation. It presseth you to divers Duties.

1. To see a need of quickening. Though life received gives Power to act, yet that Power must be excited by God. No creature doth subsist and Act of itself. All things Live, Move, and have their Being in God. There is a Concurrence necessary to all created things, much more to the New-creature: Partly because of the internal indisposition of the Subject in which it is, alas Grace in the Heart is but like fire in Wett-wood: Partly by reason of External impediments, Satan is ready to cast a Damp upon thy Soul, so that the Lord's grace is still necessary for us.

2. Ask it of God. All life was at first in him Originally, and 'its an Emanation from him. The Apostle proves Christ's God-head from this, because In him was Life, John 1. 4. But is this a good Argument? Doth that prove, therefore he was God? may we not say of the meanest Worm, in it is Life? but he means Originally, he was the fountain of Life; And still he keeps it in his own hands, and conveys it to all Creatures every moment, even to the lowest Worm. John 5. 26. (For as the Father hath life in himself: So hath he given to the Son to have life in himself) The Power of quickening, and keeping of life it belongs to God: He hath it Originally from himself, he gives it to others. 1 Tim. 6. 13. he that quickeneth all things, Worms, Men, that gives Life to them, is God.

3, Except this Grace in and through Jesus Christ who hath purchased it for us, who gave his Flesh to be meat indeed, and his Blood drink indeed, John 6. 55. Who rose again that we should walk in newness of Life; Rom. 6. 4. Who ascended to pour out the Spirit upon us, John, 7. 38. 39. Therefore when we find Deadness Spiritually, look to receive this life from Christ.

4. Rouse up yourselves. There are Considerations and Arguments to quicken us. Certainly a man hath power and faculty to work truths upon himself, to stir up the Gift and Grace that is in us, 2 Tim. 1. 6. We must not think Grace works necessarily, as fire burns, whether we will or no that this will enliven us, but we must rouse and stir up ourselves, as Psal. 42. 5. There are many considerations by which me may awaken our own Soul from the Love of God, from the Hopes of Glory; by which Christians should stir and keep their Spirits awake and alive towards God and Heavenly things.

Use 3. If quickening be so necessary, it presseth us to see when ever we have received anything of the vitality of Grace; Sence, Appetite, and Activity; we may know it by these things, when there's a sense of Sin in-dwelling as a Burden; Life is strong then when it would expel its Enemy, Rom. 7. 24. When there is an Appetite after Christ and his Graces and Comforts. When there's a greater Activity, a bursting and breaking forth towards Religious Duties, it is a sign Grace is strong in the heart, for the Spirit is to be a fountain of living waters always breaking out, John 7. 38. When we are more fruitful towards God, when it is ready to discover itself for the Glory of God, then the heavenly life is kept in good plight. For these things we should be thankful to God, for he it is that awakeneth you.

Doct. That the Salvation of God is the fruit of his Mercy, and effectually dispensed and applied to his People according to his Word. There is a twofold Salvation. Temporal and Eternal.

1. Temporal Salvation is Deliverance from Temporal Dangers. Exod. 14. 13. Stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord.

2. Eternal Deliverance from Hell and Wrath, together with that positive Blessedness which is called Eternal Life, Heb. 5. 9. And being made perfect he became the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him. The Text is applicable to both, though possibly the former principally intended.

1. I shall apply it to Salvation Temporal, or deliverance out of Trouble. Then observe,

1. the cause of it, Thy Mercies. God's Children often fall into such straits that nothing but Mercy can help them out: all deliverance is the fruit of Mercy pitying our misery, but some Deliverance especially is the fruits of Mercy Pardoning our Sin. I shall give you some special Cases, both as to Danger and Sin.

1. In all cases as to Danger it is Mercy which appears, partly because God's great Arguments to move him is the misery of his People, it is his great Argument, Deut. 32. 36. The Lord will repent for his People; when he seeth that all their power is gone, and none shut up and left, no manner of defense, but exposed as a Prey to those that have a mind to wrong them. It is the only Argument, Psal. 79. 8. Let thy tender Mercies speedily prevent us, for we are brought very low. Mercy relents towards a sinful People, when they are a wasted People. Partly because when there are no other means to help, Mercy unexpectedly findeth out means for us. We are at an utter loss in ourselves, God finds out means of Relief for us, Psal. 57. 3. He shall send from Heaven and save me from the Reproach of him that would swallow me up, Selah. God shall send forth his Mercy and Truth. When we want help on Earth, Faith seeketh for help from Heaven, and Mercy chooseth means for us when we cannot pitch upon anything that may do us good. In these cases doth Mercy discover itself as to danger.

2. More eminently in special cases, when their sins have evidently brought them into those straits. Many afflictions are the strokes of God's immediate hand, or the common effects of his Providence permitting the Malice of men for our Trial and Exercise, but some are the proper effects of our own sins. We run ourselves into inconveniencies by our Folly, and even then Mercy findeth a way of escape for us. Two ways may our sin be said to bring our Trouble upon us, Meritorie & Effective.

1. Meritorie. When some Judgment treadeth upon the heels of some foregoing sin and Provocation: As David, When he had offended in the matter of Uriah, see Psal 3. Title, A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his Son, and the two first Verses, Lord how are they increased that trouble me? many are they that rise up against me, many there be that say of my Soul there is no help for him in God, Selah: David was deserted of his own Subjects, chased from his Palace and Royal Seat by his own Son Absalom, he had defiled Uriah’s Wife secretly, and his Wives were defiled in the face of all Israel, and he driven to wander up and down for safety. God will make all that behold the scandalous sins of his People, see what it is to provoke him to Wrath. See how he complains, ver. 1. Lord how are they increased that trouble me, many are they that rise up against me. You shall find in 2 Sam. 15. 12. The People increased continually with Absalom. A multitude against him, and the rest durst not be for him, their hearts were hovering; And in another place, 2 Sam. 17. 11. All Israel gathered to him from Dan to Bear-sheba. In what a sorry plight was David when all was against him, and the World thought God was against him? for so it followeth verse 2. Many there be which say of my Soul there is no help for him in God, Selah. The World counted the case desperate, and insulted over him, now God hath left him, but they mistook Fatherly Correction for vindicative Justice: this was a sad condition, but David goeth to God to fetch him off, though he had drawn this Judgment upon himself, yet he deals with him for Relief, in such cases Mercy is seen. That Pit must be very deep when the line of Grace doth not go to the bottom of it; in the face of the Temptaion David maintaineth his confidence in God, see verse 3. But thou O Lord art my Shield, my Glory and the lifter up of my head. God is counter-Comfort to all his troubles, he was in danger, God was his shield, his Kingdom was at stake, God was his Glory, he was under sorrow and shame, God would lift up his head, to the unarmed a shield, to the disgraced Glory, to the dejected an incourager or the lifter up of his head, thus when his case was thought desperate doth Mercy work for him.

2. Effective, When we ourselves run into the snare, and be holden with the cords of our own Vanity. Prov. 5. 22. His own iniquities shall take t •… wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins. When we have been playing about the Cockatrice's hole, and have brought mischief upon ourselves. Sometimes God's Children have been guilty of this, they have been the causes of their own Troubles, as David when his unbelief drove him to Gath, where he was in danger of his Life, and escaped by his dissembling. Psal. 34. entitled a Prayer of David when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, who drove him away and he departed: And Josiah put himself on a War against Pharaoh Necho and other such instances, then if they be saved it is certainly Mercy.

2. Again Observe, It is not Mercy, but Mercies, the expression is Plural.

1. To note the Plenty and Perfection of this Attribute in God. God is very merciful to poor Creatures, see in how many notions God's mercy is represented to us, a distinct consideration of them yieldeth an advantage in believing, for though they express the same thing, yet every notion begetteth a fresh thought, by which Mercy is more taken abroad in the view of Conscience, this is that pouring out God's name spoken of, Cant. 1. 3. Thy Name is as Ointment poured forth. Ointment in the box doth not yield such a fragrancy as when it is poured out: God hath Proclaimed his Name, Exod. 34. 6. The Lord, the Lord God, Merciful and Gracious, long suffering, abundant in Goodness and Truth. God hath given this description of himself, and the Saints often take notice of it. Psal. 103. 8. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to Anger, and of great kindness. Joel 2. 13. Turn to the Lord your God for he is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Jonah 4. 2. I knew that thou wert a gracious God, slow to anger and of great kindness: and in divers other places. What doth the Spirit of God aim at in this express Enumeration and Accumulation of names of Mercy, but to give us an help in Meditation, and to enlarge our Apprehensions of God's Mercy.

1. The first Notion is Mercy, which is an Attribute whereby God inclineth to favor them that are in Misery, it is a Name God hath taken with respect to us, the love of God first falleth upon himself: God loveth himself but he is not merciful to himself, Mercy respects Creatures in Misery. Justice seeks a fit Object, Mercy a fit Occasion. Justice looketh to what is deserved, Mercy to what is wanted and needed.

2. The next Notion is Grace, which noteth the free bounty of God, and excludeth all Means on the Creatures part; Grace doth all gratis, freely, though there be no precedent Debt or Obligation, or hope of Recompence whereby anything can accrue to God. His External Motive is our Misery, his Internal Motive his own Grace. Angels that never sinned are saved merely out of Grace. Men that were once miserable are saved, not only out of Grace but out of Mercy.

3. The next Notion is Long-Suffering, or Slowness to Anger. The Lord is not easily overcome by the wrongs or sins of the Creature, he doth not only pity our Misery, that is Mercy, and do us good for nothing, that is Grace, but beareth long with our Infirmities, that is slowness to Anger. Certainly he is easily appeased, and is hardly drawn to punish: Men are ready to Anger, slow to Mercy, quickly inflamed and hardly appeased, but it is quite the contrary with God. It is good to observe the Difference between God and Man: Man cannot make anything of a sudden, but destroyeth it in an instant. When men are to make anything they are long about it, as building an house is a long work, but plucking it down and undermining it is done in a short time, but God is quick in making, slow in destroying, he made the World in six days, he could have done it in a moment, were it not that he would give us a Pattern of Labor and Order in all things, now it hath continued for six thousand years and upwards as some account, such is his longsuffering, how many of us has God born with for ten, twenty, thirty years, from childhood to grey hairs, from the Cradle to the Grave, the Angels were not endured in their sinful state but immdiately cast into Hell.

4. Kindness and Bounty, he is plenteous in goodness; God is good and doth good, his Communications to the Creature are free and full, as the Sun giveth out Light, and the Fountain water: Thus you see reason why Mercies are plurally expressed.

2. The Frequency of it, Lam. 3. 23. His Mercies are new every morning; that is, renewed; those that concern the Body and Soul, not only merciful in saving once or twice, but every day pardoneth our new sins, and giveth to his repenting Children new Comforts: There is a Throne of Grace open every day, not once a year, Heb. 4. 16. as it was to the High Priest under the Law. The Golden Scepter is daily held out, the Fountain is ever open, not stopped up nor drawn dry; God keepeth not Terms, but keepeth a Court of Audience; and every day we may come and sue out our Pardon, and take out the comforts we stand in need of.

3. The Variety of our Necessities, both by reason of Misery and Sin; so that not Mercy but Mercies will do us good: We have not one Sin but many, not one Misery but many, therefore Mercies are needful for us.

1. Our Miseries are many, danger way-layeth us on every side, therefore the Mercy of God is said to compass us about, Psal. 32. 10. He that trusteth in the Lord, Mercy shall compass him about. On which side soever Temptation and Trouble maketh the assault, Mercy is ready to make the defense: Many are the Troubles of the Righteous, but the Lord delivereth them out of them all, Psal. 34. 19. Their troubles are many from God's own hand, Satan's Temptations, Malice of the wicked world, therefore let thy mercies come to me.

2. Our sins, so many Provocations, Transgressions from the Womb, Isa. 48. 8. After Grace received we have our failings, there remains much venom and evil of sin, Psal. 51. 1, 2. Have mercy upon me according to the greatness of thy mercy, according to the multitude of thy tender mercy, blot out my Transgressions; where great sins, great mercies, many sins many mercies. In that one fact how many ways did he sin? No great sin can be committed alone, but one evil act draweth on another, as Links in a 〈◊〉 ; Adultery, Blood, and this by a King, whose duty it was to punish it in others, the more above the stroke of man's Justice, the more liable to God's: This when he had many wives of his own; a Crime committed out of want is not so heinous, as that committed out of wantonness; he took the poor man's one Ewe Lamb, when he had many Flocks and Herds: This was done not suddenly and in the heat of passion, but in cool blood, plotting his opportunities, abusing Uriah his simplicity and sincerity to his own destruction; his honesty in not returning to his House, should have been a check upon David, he maketh him drunk, drew Joab into the Conspiracy and Confederacy of his guilt, many perished with Uriah in the attempt upon Rabbah.

4. The many favors to be bestowed upon us, as Food, Cloathing, Protection, Liberty in our service, and after all Eternal Life; therefore Mercies, which giveth us all things necessary to Life and Godliness. 2 Pet. 1. 4.

2. The Effect [Thy Salvation] brought about in God's way, and upon God's terms. In temporal safety we must wait for God's salvation, such as God giveth, God alloweth; better be miserable than be saved upon other terms; many would be safe from troubles, but they would take their own way, and so turn aside to crooked paths: Those Martyrs spoken of in the Hebrews, Chap. 11. 35. would not accept deliverance, that they might obtain a better Resurrection; to wince under trouble, and fling off the burden ere it be taken off by God without any sin of ours; otherwise we break Prison, get out by the Window not by the Door; we must take up our Cross as long as God will please to have us bear it, David saith, Thy Salvation.

3. The warrant and ground of his expectation, according to thy Word: God's mercy is to be expected according to the tenor of the Promise. How is that?

1. No temporal Blessing is absolutely to be expected, for God hath reserved the liberty of trying and chastising his Children in outward things; the Covenant is to be understood with the exception of the Cross, and we can have no temporal benefit by it but as it is useful for us, Psal. 89. 32, 38. I will visit their Transgression with a Rod, and their Iniquity with Stripes: Nevertheless my Loving Kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. God will use medicinal Discipline, though not satisfy his Justice upon them.

2. The Qualification of the Promise must be regarded by those that would have benefit by it: God's Covenant is made with his people, 'tis a mutual stipulation, many would have comfort, we plead promises of safety with God, but forget promises of Obedience to him; as Ephraim would tread out the Corn but not break the Clods, Hosea 10. 11. There was food, Deut. 25. 4. Thou shalt not muzzle the Ox which treadeth out the Corn. We mind our own Interest more than God's Honor.

3. A Word of Promise calleth for Faith and Trust whatever contrariety appeareth in God's Providence, God's word must bear up our hearts, it is as a Pawn till the Deliverance come: God's mercy is the same still, his word calleth for Trust, the more we trust and hope in his mercy, the better for us, Psal. 13. 5. I have trusted in thy mercy, my Soul shall rejoice in thy Salvation. Psal. 33. 22. Let thy mercy O Lord be upon us, as we hope in thee. And